


Roll for Dragons

by foxymoley



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Dragons, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:21:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22163974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foxymoley/pseuds/foxymoley
Summary: Dean is offered up as a sacrifice by his corrupt hometown.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 6
Kudos: 83
Collections: The Profound Network





	Roll for Dragons

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jdragon122](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jdragon122/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Rowlett](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/548803) by Jdragon122. 



> This was written as part of the Profoundbond discord server Birthday Bash Scavenger Hunt! (PBDSBBSH??)
> 
> I love jdragons beautiful art and their dragons in particular! This fic was based on a dragon they created by using pokemon parts and D&D mechanics to make something truly unique. [(seen here)](https://www.instagram.com/p/B6964rZHgjn/?igshid=szrwxrk86wdc)
> 
> Hope you like it!

* * *

* * *

"No! Put me down! Gods damn you!" Dean yelled, his breath rising in clouds as he struggled against the huge guards that had dragged him from the town square. He was blindfolded and dumped unceremoniously in a covered wagon and tied to a bow. He kicked out, connecting with something fleshy, and was rewarded with a deep, stinging, slash to his thigh. He cried out in pain. 

"Be still. I'm sure the monster won't object to his meat being tenderised a little." Dean could feel warm blood bubbling over his leg as the wagon started moving. He pulled at his binds, rubbing the ties together, twisting until his wrists bled. He eventually shook his blindfold free but it made no difference as night had fallen and the starlight was too weak to reach inside the wagon. They finally came to a stop long after the sun had gone down and he was roughly dragged out. Pushed and prodded, he stumbled across moonlit rocks to a large stone table littered with broken manacles. 

Dean gulped. 

He'd heard rumors of this place. It's where people were brought to disappear. The odd ones out, the ones who talked back against the conservative regime and made trouble for the selfish ruling classes. Among many others, Char, Ellena, Jobeth and Bennae had all been pulled away from their friends and families before him and no one had heard from them again. The town elders left them here as sacrifices to a fearsome beast in exchange for their own safety. 

He glanced around at the ring of hooded guards. His anonymous executioners, although Dean would recognise Liee's build anywhere, traitorous bastard, stood silent, stoic. A single man came forward to secure Dean's wrists to the plinth and Dean considered fighting him but deemed it pointless. He didn't want to add a split lip to his troubles. 

A horn sounded, a ragged and sad call into the night, almost immediately answered by a dark thudding. Thump…thump...thump...rhythmic and somehow alive, like a giant's heartbeat. The light from the guards torches receded as they ran away, away from the black shape now growing rapidly larger against the dim moonlight. Dean froze. 

Holding his breath, not daring to even blink, he watched the starlight move, displaced by a massive silhouette and reflecting wildly. The thing landed heavily, its weight throwing the ground about and its huge wings made the trees dance madly. Dean stared up at it, not ashamed to say he was terrified beyond anything he'd felt before, even more so than when his baby brother had fallen and broken his arm, leaving it malformed, the healers struggling to even save his hand. 

As it moved closer, Dean screwed his eyes shut and turned his head away. He was probably going to the sixth circle of Hell anyway and didn't want his last experience on Earth to be full of teeth and flame. He felt hot breath on his neck and a snuffling noise as a deep huff flattened his hair. The stone crunched beneath him and the chains shifted, a screech of metal announcing a link or two being bent out of shape. 

The air was punched out of his lungs by a huge claw, the thing’s talons scoring deep marks in the stone as it slipped around his torso to grip him. Dean's head was swimming, dark spots appearing and pain shot through his chest. He was dying. This was it, this is how it ends. Darkness. 

Until…a whisper. A deep susurration that sent a shiver up his spine. "Shhhhhh. Be not afraid." The voice, almost human in temperament despite its ghastly origins, inexplicably calmed him. His breathing came easier and his vision returned. The giant head nodded and shushed him again. Dean relaxed minutely, then without warning, the beast took to the sky, yanking Dean with him. Dean screamed as his head was thrown back and his worst nightmares of soaring through the endless vastness of space were realised. He very promptly passed out. 

***

Soft, warm…quiet. Dean slowly opened his eyes, an orange glow surrounded him and his first thought was that Hell was strangely peaceful. His vision swam back into focus to reveal a beautifully furnished room, throws of orange and gold shone brightly, and cushions made of plush furs from animals he'd never seen before littered the ground. A noise caught his attention, and he groggily turned to see a door, covered by a beaded curtain that rattled gently. 

A man entered, dressed all in blue, a roughly hewn shirt and pants that covered his feet with bare toes peeking out. He shuffled carefully, burdened with a bronze tray filled with bottles, plates and cups, to Dean's bedside. His eyes were dark, almost black and his hair a brown, shaggy mess. Handsome in an interesting way, but tired looking. The weight of the world on his shoulders. 

"Hello, Dean." His voice was deep, raspy with disuse. 

"How do you know my name? Who are you and where am I?" 

The stranger chuckled, and smiled. "Here, drink this, have some food, and I'll answer your questions." 

Dean's stomach overrode his distrust and he chose a piece of nutbread smeared with a thick layer of honey, washing it down with tart apple cider. He groaned and his eyes rolled back. 

"Good?" the man asked with another small smile. 

"Yesh, ver' gud," Dean spoke with his mouth full, having grabbed a slice of unknown meat. He swallowed. "Thank you." 

"You're very welcome, Dean. As for your answers…" He paused thoughtfully. "I will show you later how I know your name but for now, I am Castiel and this is my home."

"That doesn't help much. How did I get here?" The last thing he could remember was a shadow falling over him and claws. Big ones and—his stomach lurched unpleasantly— _flying_. He shuddered. The thing must have flown him here. "It brought me. Why?" 

" _He rescued you_. You were being left as a sacrifice so you were taken. I…he doesn't eat the offerings." Castiel laughed and shook his head as if the idea of a huge carnivorous beast eating people was absurd. He paused when Dean hissed at the sharp pain in his thigh, reminding him of the wound he had received. 

Dean pulled his sheets aside then very quickly clutched them to his chest upon finding himself completely nude. "I'm naked!" 

That deep chuckle again. "Yes, your clothes were 'soiled'. I disposed of them and washed you. This is my bed after all." He laid a bundle of clothes on the nightstand. "You may wear these when you are ready to get up." 

Dean spent two nightfalls recuperating. The wound healing quicker than it would have normally as Cas was some kind of healer, laying herbs and poultices on his thigh until it was merely an angry red streak. 

They spoke of everything and nothing and, on closer inspection, Dean now realised his eyes weren't black but a very dark blue. Castiel was amusing, making jokes both intentional and not. He helped Dean with his various ablutions without shame or judgment but Dean was still confined and starting to really feel it. 

"May I see the rest of your home now? You speak so fondly of it." 

"Of course." Cas turned his back and Dean stood to shuffle into a loose pair of pants and a green tunic, tying both at the waist. A pair of leather slippers lay on the floor at his feet and he slid into them. The fabrics were finely woven, cool and light on his skin. He wondered how Castiel heated his home as he felt no chill or draft and the air felt perfectly dry and warm. Castiel pottered around, blowing out a couple of candles and drawing back heavy drapes to reveal a large window. 

Dean stepped forward and peeked out to see that this room was built onto the cliff side of a valley. The roughly hewn wall suggested it may even be carved from the rock itself. He looked down to see that they were many meters above ground and that the valley floor was vast. Filled with farmland and small dwellings. He could make out people walking and working, the sounds of laughter and singing drifting up on the breeze. Castiel sighed beside him and Dean turned to watch him breath in the spiced air with his eyes closed, clearly in love with the land laid out before him. He turned his beatific smile on Dean and held out a large hand. 

"Come. Let's look around. There are people here very keen to meet with you." Castiel's eyes twinkled as Dean reached out to entwine their fingers, so intimately comfortable already. 

The stone steps past the beaded curtain were lit by candles as they wound down through the interior of the cliffside. They passed many curtained openings and hallways but didn't stall in their journey to ground level. Castiel pulled open a large oak door and the sounds from before grew louder, infecting Dean with warmth he'd never experienced outside of his found family's home. Castiel's fingers tightened and he gave him a knowing look. 

Both men jumped when a high shriek rang out. Dean searched the skies, believing the beast to have returned but Castiel just laughed and pointed into the crowd. A flash of red hair bobbed and weaved between the people and Dean grinned widely. 

"Charlie!" The lithe redhead launched herself into Dean's arms and he spun them her around. "What are you doing here!?" He let her go and she punched him in the arm. 

"I live here!" She beamed up at him. "Cas brought me." Dean felt Castiel freeze beside him and Charlie must have noticed too. "I'm sorry, did I say something wrong? I thought he brought you here too, I mean, that is his 'thing' after all…" she flapped her hands. "Wait…he doesn't know does he? Shit." 

Castiel shook his head. "Let's gather your people and meet at the northern border. Okay?" 

Char nodded biting her lip, she squeezed Dean again and whispered in his ear, 'It's fine. See you soon' and she skipped off again. 

Cas lead Dean by the hand through the busy market, passing smaller dwellings, homes and barns, then fields, until finally they stood beneath a sheer cliff. Dean turned when he heard an excited babble and started off at a run when he recognised Joh and Ellena with Bennae behind them, and, of course, Charlie, bringing up the rear. 

"Jobeth!" He hugged her and pressed a kiss to her head. He then grabbed Benn in a rough bear hug. "I thought you were dead! What the hell is going on!?" 

Charlie cleared her throat and started to speak quickly. "This is Cas' valley. He's always lived here alone and when our town grew corrupt and started leaving people for dead, he…um… _arranged_ for them to come here. He gives them a place to live or he provides traveling gear and a bit of gold and sends them on their way." Dean gaped at her. 

"Why has no one ever come back?" 

"You saw it back there, right? It's wonderful here. Besides, if we went back, we'd reveal the ruse."

"Ruse? What ruse?" 

Castiel's deep voice piped up. "The dragon." Cas stepped back, looked around and stepped back a bit more. He looked down at his feet and his shoulders hunched, every muscle in his body seemingly tensed to the point of pain. Dean wasn't sure what happened next but it didn't look pleasant. Cas' bones popped and his back arched. He fell to the ground and grew and as he got bigger his hair receded and his nails extended. The painful process ended with the very beast that took him from the stone altar, standing on four sturdy legs, with powerful wings tipped by climbing claws like a bat and a beak like a bird. The ends of its long sweeping tail, feathered beard and pointed ears were bright green, fading into the warm tan colour that covered the rest of his huge body, apart from some darker bars running the lengths of its wings. It was beautiful. Rather, _he_ was beautiful. 

Dean walked forward with a hand raised and Cas leaned into his touch, letting out a rumble that sounded suspiciously like a pur. 

"I used to live with my brother, Lucifer, but he was foul. Stealing livestock and burning crops. Your people came to an arrangement with him but when he brought the first human back, a girl no more than fifteen being sacrificed for being an unwed mother, I killed him and saved her. She's still here, people don't really get older here. There's magic in the water," he whispered. 

Charlie was nodding vigorously. "Not just that, Dean! Remember Joh's gross leg?" Jobeth elbowed her in the ribs. 

"It wasn't gross, it got caught in the plow when I was a child. Don't be mean," Joh pouted. 

"Anyway, it's better now. Prettiest leg in the land," Charlie said with a smile. "So, anyway, why'd they boot you?"

"Why do they sacrifice anyone? I was too loud, too queer, too _impolite_." He rolled his eyes. "Hey, Cas?" He looked up into big eyes he now noticed were a brighter blue than in his human form. "Can I go back?" Castiel reared backwards and shook his head, hurt brimming in his eyes. "Not for good! For Sam. My brother. Our parents died long ago and he's alone. He'll be worried by now."

Cas tilted his head. "No, but I can have a message delivered to him. He can have himself sacrificed to me and I will bring him here. Will that work?" 

"Yes! Please don't scare him? Um, can you include a certain word in the message? Poughkeepsie. It's a word we used when we needed to run and hide."

Castiel nodded. "Excuse me. I will send the message." He spread out his wings and with one powerful beat, took to the air. Dean watched in awe until Char reached up and slapped him on the back of his head. 

"Dreamy, huh?" She smirked at him. "Rumor has it, he can see souls. He encourages the bad eggs to seek their fortune elsewhere and offers the good ones a home here. We have a choice, of course, but no one has left that was welcome to stay. It really is like heaven on earth. He must have seen something extra special in you, Dean." She waggled her eyebrows and Dean couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous she looked. 

Still chuckling, "well, he ain't exactly hard to look at, he's sorta hilarious and he's kind. I could do much worse." 

"Couldn't do any better judging by those heart eyes," She teased. "Anyway, let's get you to the people who can set you up. Cas was bringing so many people here that a government sorta formed around us. By the people, for the people, y'know? None of that 'elder' bullshit. We'll get you fixed up, though I have a feeling it might be temporary accommodation." She winked badly and dragged him back to town. 

***

It was only a month later, as Dean and Cas shared a meal together that Cas' head shot up. 

"Cas?"

"Someone has been sacrificed. I must go at once." He strode from the room, stretching as he went. Dean started to clear the food onto warming plates for when Cas returned and readied himself for bed. He had moved into Cas' house in the hill three weeks ago and had been living in domestic bliss ever since. They hardly left each other's side and Dean had been finding his place in his new home. He wondered if it would be Sam that Castiel brought back but thought better of it when he realised that even Sam couldn't annoy a community enough to be killed by them in the space of a month. Probably. 

***

Cas showed up with Sam later that night. Turns out his virtuous little brother had egged their town’s Main Hall every night and instructed their small circle of rebellious friends to do the same or similar. Castiel planned to fly above the richer folks houses to remind them he was around and still required regular oblation. Every month or so a new citizen arrived until the old homestead was running on reserves and left to its fate. The valley flourished under Cas and Dean's democratic rule until they retired at the ripe old ages of fifteen hundred and one thousand years respectively. 

  
  



End file.
